


Masterclass

by NienteZero



Category: Leverage
Genre: Multi, Pre-Relationship, Vignette, tag for the French Connection Job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:55:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24113887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NienteZero/pseuds/NienteZero
Summary: I said to my partner, "I can't believe Toby didn't notice how bad Eliot's knife cuts were in the French Connection Job." My partner said, "oh, like Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina." And here we are.
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer
Comments: 30
Kudos: 164





	Masterclass

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mzrowan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mzrowan/gifts).



"So, do you want to tell me what is going on with you?" Toby said, opening a bottle of the good cognac and pouring two glasses. His private office was small and cozy, and late after dinner service it was a quiet retreat lit dimly by an old-fashioned green shaded lamp. Toby handed Eliot one of the glasses and propped his hip against the desk, indicating for Eliot to sit in the guest chair. 

Eliot took the brandy and sat down. He gave Toby an annoyed look. "Nothing's going on with me," he growled.

"Hah," Toby said, swirling the brandy in his glass and warming it with his hand, "try that on someone who wasn't watching you cook."

Eliot's face set into a soft frown. 

"The knife cuts," he said.

"Yes," Toby said, "you were sloppy."

Eliot slumped in his chair and took a sip of the cognac. The rich, smooth liquor tasted like memories of time spent talking with Toby late into the night at a time when there was little else good in Eliot's world.

"There's this girl," Eliot finally conceded.

Toby's eyebrows raised a little, and he gestured with his glass.

"Go on," he said.

Eliot looked at the brandy glass like it was an interrogator with a particularly nasty pair of pliers. Talking about relationships was the worst part of having relationships.

"She's something else. Smart, funny in a weird way, brave. And she wants _me_ to teach her about feeling things."

"I don't see the problem with that," Toby said, "you can teach."

"Feelings, man!" Eliot said indignantly. If he weren't the hardest man this side of the Rocky Mountains (and honestly, the other side too) Toby would have called the expression on his face a pout.

Toby laughed. 

"Feelings are easy," he said, "just feed her. She'll know what you're trying to say."

"Yeah, yeah," Eliot said, "We've been working on that."

"So what's the problem? You like the girl, the girl likes your food...?"

"She's with someone else. I got no business liking her."

Toby sipped his brandy and said, "Hmm."

"You got something you want to say about it?" Eliot said.

"Just, if this girl's with someone else, why is she eating your food and asking you to teach her about feelings?"

Eliot ran his hand through his hair.

"It's complicated," he said, "she's complicated. They're complicated, but they're together so," He stopped and looked down at the glass of brandy and mumbled, "He's my best friend. I'm an asshole."

Toby laughed out loud at that, a long, deep laugh.

"What the hell, man?" Eliot said.

"Are you talking about the young man at the pub with the lasers?" Toby said. He had a smug, knowing look on his face.

"Yeah, that's - how'd you know?" Eliot spluttered.

"I thought you had boy trouble, not girl trouble, before we talked. I saw how he looked at you," Toby said, "I'm not judging! But that young man is not crazy about _cooking _."__

__"Oh," Eliot said weakly. He took a larger gulp of the brandy than such a refined liquor deserved. "Oh."_ _

__"Yes, 'Oh'. What are you doing here talking to an old man? Go cook for your sweethearts. Something from Larousse should do the trick."_ _

**Author's Note:**

> It's my birthday and Eliot didn't make me a cake. Boo.


End file.
